The Cornwall Regional Hospital is the premier health facility in western Jamaica.

A recurring problem with its ventilation system since October has forced it to relocate of its several departments.

The latest being the Accident and Emergency department. Its A&E department is to be relocated to the Mount Salem Health Centre in the parish. The latest problems with the hospital’s ventilation system emerged over the weekend.

Dr. Derek Harvey is the Acting Senior Medical Officer at the hospital.

He says the initial suggestion was to move the A&E operations to the second floor. But that was deemed not to be suitable.

He says staff members were also being affected on the second floor.

Dr. Harvey says a number of persons have had irritation of the eyes and skin, sore throat and difficulty breathing.

Dr. Harvey says a number of things will have to be put in place at Mount Salem to accommodate the A&E patients.

When contacted this afternoon, Health Minister, Christopher Tufton, said he couldn’t speak on the issue until after today’s meeting.

In the meantime, Dr. Harvey says Cornwall Regional is trying to find a suitable location to carry out clinical services.